From the category archives:

Writing about People

My maternal grandparents and four of their children immigrated to the United States from Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1922. My grandfather, William Miller, was a coal miner, the son and grandson of coal miners. Times were hard in Scotland in the early 1920s, with frequent mining strikes chipping away at my grandfather’s efforts to make a [...]

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My mother recently told me she didn’t think she’d be driving much longer. Her health has declined, and I’ve worried about her safety behind the wheel, but I’ve been reluctant to broach this sensitive subject with her. It’s difficult to acknowledge that we can no longer do what we once found easy. My mother complains [...]

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Roz Nelson’s Story Shows How Details Make a Difference

by Memoir Mentor on February 19, 2011

The story below was a big hit with students in my Wednesday class last week. During our critiquing period, people mentioned how much they admired how Roz Nelson brought her characters to life with specific details. As you read the story, notice how she focuses on individualizing characteristics that make her people feel real. At [...]

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